I remember at the beginning of the season, Pop said with a straight face that winning would be a priority to learning this season.
After this abysmal game against the Clippers, Pop in the post-game conference he was happy with the team’s effort and saw a lot of good things.
There is no way winning is a priority in a team that has lost 11 games this far into the season without changing the way we use our players in the lineup.
I don’t know why it took me this long to realize but we don’t give a fuck about winning, only development, and of course, getting a top pick. I know we’re not competing for shit but we legit might lose 10 more games before we win again.
No one expects the Spurs to become a contender in one season but it is reasonable to expect an improvement in wins over the previous season when you draft a player marketed as “generational” and “instantly transformative”.
I went through the last decade’s worth of Rookie of the Year, plus some bus-driving Hall of Famers, and all of them had immediate impact on their team’s wins in their rookie year. LeBron more than doubled the Cavs record from the year before. Dwyane Wade turned the 25-57 2003 Heat into the 42-40 2004 Heat, which made it to the second round of the Playoffs.
Based on the marketing, I think all that non-casuals expected is for the Spurs to become a .400-ish team this season. But they’re somehow actually doing worse this season than last. I know it’s too early to tell, but it’s hard not to get deflated.